Restaurant review: Imbiss (German and Multicuisine)

It’s true. A picture is worth more than a thousand words. Please see the accompanying photograph I’ve shot of Bandra’s brand new “Imbiss”. Can you see both the sidewalls of the restaurant? That tells you how “seriously small” it is (never mind all that buzz about it being “charming” and “cosy”). Can you see the glass counter with its untidy array of dishes covered with plastic sheets? The bare tables and benches (you can sit only on one side of the table) and the tiny mezzanine too?

Okay! So now that you have the picture (sorry for that cheap pun), it’s time to introduce you to the food.

FOOD It’s tasty. It’s carnivorous (and how! Only one veg dish). “Imbiss” may mean a light meal in German, there may be Sausages (Bratwurst and what not) galore on the menu, but it’s not true-blue German. There’s enough meat to delight a meat lover’s heart and palate, like that of the well-travelled global-gourmet couple in “Imbiss” today. Richard Koszarek is of Polish descent (give him his Polish Kielbasa sausages any day). In their well-equipped kitchen (in their Juhu Bungalow), he grills the most amazing steaks, cooks Polish, Chinese and Thai, while his wife Amrita’s Indian cooking is legendary. Being in the family aviation business (which was the Beechcraft distributor in India) further propelled the foodie couple’s passion for food. They willingly and smilingly sample this brand new Bandra eatery with me, even though it’s uncomfy and we are wedged against the wall.

The well-made Duck Sausage with skin come out on top, as does the Pork Cumberland Sausage drizzled with a brown sauce. The Cured Pork Chop on the bone, the Kassler delights with it’s smoky flavour. Tender, juicy baby back spare ribs glazed with smoked BBQ sauce, Grilled Bratwurst are worth trying. Even the Bavarian Ham and Cheese Sandwich, served with a warm sauce, is unique. And oh! Yes! The flattened and Breadcrumbed Chicken Escalope and the home fries (potato wedges) are worth trying too. Please note that owner Bruce Rodriques gets all sausages and meats from Alf farms, Thane.

MINUS POINTS Vegetarians stay away (even if you are a baingan lover and their Eggplant Schnitzel is crispy and yummy enclosing a slice of fleshy eggplant). Those looking for alcohol please go elsewhere. There is no ‘zempf’ worth the name, only weak mustard and no Sauerkraut either. Overdone and tasteless Weiner Schnitzel.

Thick-skinned Momos also find their way into the menu. No crackling available. No desserts, no fish on menu.

MY POINT It sure is an eatery with it’s heart in hearty food, but this stamp-sized, brand new Imbiss, tucked off Hill road, can be hard to find. Pork, veal, beef, a couple of chicken dishes and duck are its specialties (one veg dish and no desserts or alcohol). Happily, the average price of a dish is `150. If you are a hardcore carnivore who thrives on sausages and the like, then this is definitely your “meating point”.

FOODLINE As I write this, I am nibbling on juicy and sweet tomatoes and also enjoying the fact that they’ve come straight from the ‘farm to table’. Fresh, local, seasonal fruit and vegetable produce procured from farms outside Mumbai is delivered to your doorstep (Cuffe Parade to Bandra), and I get to know of Sushma Seksaria’s La Devi (022-2269 1599) all thanks to Ashlesha Shirodkar. Fabulous to be flooded with you Twitter, FB and E-mail feedback. Mail (rashmiudaysingh2013@gmail.com, FB, Twitter @rashmiudaysingh) or sms (77380 28783) to be listed here. Due to space constraint, I am unable to carry your messages.

Author

World Gourmand Award winner Rashmi Uday Singh is the author of India's first-ever city restaurant guide. Singh studied law and management, and worked as a deputy commissioner with the Indian Revenue Service, which she quit after 15 years to train with the BBC. Singh has written 22 books on food, night life and people. She hosts TV shows and writes columns for Bombay Times and Chennai Times. She promises this blog will be as much fun as eating out with her, at a range of exciting places in India and abroad.

World Gourmand Award winner Rashmi Uday Singh is the author of India's first-ever city restaurant guide. Singh studied law and management, and worked as a d. . .